Whereas everyone in the White Pantheon is important, there are only three that would be described as irreplaceable. I am not on that list, as my job could be done by any number of powerful designs that survived the war, the only credit I will give myself is that there is none better in keeping Order than I.
Leona, of course, for the containment of the beast that is Olephia. Her omnipotent luck singlehandedly guarantees our survival against Olephia’s rampage. Elassa has proposed a theory I’m not particularly fond of, which is that Leona’s luck also has started to bind us together. Her request to spare Anassa is dismissed by Fortia and Allasaria, but I will push it through. It will utterly collapse whatever goodwill and prestige Elassa has built up during the war and make even the tiniest request seem unreasonable. The dominance of magicians within society will finally be brought to an end.
Allasaria is the second. Of course. The most powerful, the Pantheon’s answer to Irinika. I already know that the upcoming vote will result in either Allasaria or Fortia become heads of the Pantheon. I have little to say about Allasaria, she simply speaks for herself.
And the third is a surprising one, Fortia disagrees with me but I give credit where credit is due: Helenna of Love. Every decree we institute has her fingerprints over the paper, if not in the planning then in the verbiage and phrasing of it. The saying ‘Love is Blind’, that is proven by Helenna’s ridiculous love for the ugly swine that is mundane legalisms. Whereas Fortia and Allasaria disagree on a great deal, there is one thing that is certain. One thing all of us see, even Kavaa and Atis.
The end of War Council organisation twenty years ago did not free up the Pantheon to the exchange of ideas, nor has this Divine democratic experiment worked. It has handed Helenna the Pantheon on a silver plate, all of us see it, know it and are aware of it, and yet we still dance to Helenna’s tune. She does not lie like Malam or Kassandora, she says nothing wrong in fact. That is the danger, her stringing of lovely words cannot be argued against or disagreed with, but the proactive stance of Helenna in national politics is something that sits wrong with all of us, we did not win the war forty years ago only to become what we were fighting against. The organisation will most likely take another decade.
The White Pantheon keeps Order in the world, someone needs to keep Order in the Pantheon.
- Excerpt from ‘The World on our Shoulders’, Written by Goddess Maisara, of Order. Kept within Maisara’s own hidden library.
Kavaa looked back at the bear as it slowly trotted behind them, huge and shaggy, with thick fur and thicker paws and small rounded ears on its head. Fer had told it something, and then Fer had said she would see them later. Kavaa wasn’t really afraid, it was only a bear at the end of the day. Iliyal should be the one who was nervous, but the elf was covering the forest’s ground as if there was nothing to worry about. They stepped over roots, the walked around bushes, they leaned underneath leaves. The bear merely ambled through it all. Fer had taken a longer route around, guided by her own nose. Kavaa and Iliyal only had that thin plume of smoke in the air. Fer said if they got lost, they had a friend to lead the way.
Birds sung above them as they woke up with the dawn. Foxes and badgers and raccoons scampered away. Every so often, an eagle would cry from the mountains, a wolf would bark in the distance, a deer would casually stop, look at them, see the bear, then turn and flee. Erdely had been like this as far back as Kavaa could remember, it was Iniri’s favourite part of Epa. The untamed forests, the few people who lived here all subsistence hunters, the mountains conquered by vegetation, the land beautiful in its brutality, with ravines and ridges everywhere.
For Kavaa though, it was the part of Epa she got nightmares about. Back then, every bird had been an eye in the sky for Fer, every woodland mouse and every furry squirrel a spy. The wolves organised into disciplined packs as if Kassandora was leading them, the boars and bears made for shock troops. Even without the larger animals, men would be picked off by swarms of badgers leaping out of the undergrowth, swiping and biting as they went straight for the neck. Then the animals started to carry Baalka’s plagues, specifically designed to hunt man. A wild dog would walk into camp and beg for food. Soldiers would feed it. It would sleep by the campfire. Morning came, the dog would walk off, the men would never wake.
Naturally, any battalion of Seekers would last a week in Erdely. Guardians or Seekers fared no better. Naturally, there was only one set of orders that could even hope to traverse these woods. Naturally, it was Kavaa’s Clerics. Naturally, her Clerics had come, and naturally, they died. Kavaa took a deep breath as she looked at the bear again, it was lazily swinging its head around, looking around at the plants by either side. “Do you remember back then?” Kavaa asked Iliyal as she turned back.
“I was never assigned to this region.” Iliyal said flatly. “I had northern Epa and Karaina.”
“Really?” Kavaa asked. “Not once?”
“Eight years in the initial push, then eighty straight in Karaina. Not once did I step foot in Erdely. This area had Relio.” Another name Kavaa would never forget, Tibor Relio, another elf. He had died two years before the war ended, when Paraideisius’ flying armies finally managed to scour Erdely of Kassandora’s Legions.
“I remember.”
“Relio knew what he was doing.” Iliyal said fondly. “The plague animals were his idea originally before the rest of us adopted them.”
“I thought they were Baalka’s.”
“Baalka is more into theory than practical applications.” Iliyal maintained that fondness as Kavaa walked around another bush. The bear behind them walked through it. “You were this area, weren’t you?” Iliyal asked.
“I was.”
“It wasn’t a fair fight from the start.” Iliyal said. “I have nothing to say, but I have respect that you stepped up to take the job.” Kavaa smiled to herself as she circled around. It wasn’t a fair fight, that was true. She had been assigned this area because no one else would take it.
“What would you have done?”
“In your case?” Iliyal asked. “Or in Fortia’s?”
“Both.”
“In Fortia’s case, I would have not tried to push through Erdely in the first place.” He said it flatly. “In your case though, I would have done my job.” Kavaa smiled to herself as she scaled a fallen tree. That, she could respect. Sometimes, she wished the marshals had been swapped. That she had Kassandora and they had Fortia. “I’ve seen how you train your men.” Iliyal said. “These will be Divines though…” He took a deep breath. “I’d rather you follow what I say rather than go with your method.”
“I’ve not trained Divines.”
“I assumed.” Iliyal said. “But these girls, they have enough love already. You want to push them.”
“I do push my men.”
“Not like I do.”
“I don’t do needless exercises.”
“You don’t need to.” Iliyal said. “Needless exercises build camaraderie, soldiers grow to miss the routine. We didn’t run needless exercises back then either, the battles replaced them.” They both scampered around a series of thick blackberry bushes, looked around. There was no sky here, only faint glimmers of blue coming through a blanket of pine needles and leaves. Iliyal came to a stop, he turned to the bear. Kavaa blinked, if this old elf now revealed he was able to speak to animals… and the elf did speak. “Which way?” The bear stopped, he looked left, he took a sniff, he looked right, he took another sniff. And then he pointed his head and rocked his entire body back and forth as if trying to point.
“When did you learn that?” Kavaa asked.
“Learn what?”
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“Speaking to them.”
“I can’t.” Iliyal said and Kavaa turned to look at the bear.
“I just saw you ask him.”
“Fer taught him just now.” Iliyal replied flatly. “I don’t know how she does it, ask her about it if you’re that curious.”
“So he can speak?” Iliyal shouted behind himself.
“Can you speak?” The bear looked up at them and kept walking forwards, past them. Iliyal shook his head. “I don’t think he can.”
“But you…” Kavaa pointed to the bear, then started following him. “I… he understood you.” Iliyal shrugged.
“They learn a few words and phrases, I don’t know what she exactly teaches them.” He laughed. “It’s Fer though so… Sit!” The bear stopped, looked at Iliyal. Kavaa looked into those beady animalistic eyes, she couldn’t place whether there was intelligence there or whether it was simply looking at them. It obviously knew what the words meant. And then the bear shook its head. Kavaa burst out in laughter. The bear turned its head back and kept on walking.
So they kept on walking. Iliyal wasn’t smooth in conversation, but he didn’t shut it down either. There wasn’t a question he shied away from, not even when Kavaa tried pressing him. “What do you think of Kassandora?”
“She’s the Goddess of War.” Iliyal answered.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.” Iliyal replied. “Useless question, everyone knows what I think of Goddess Kassandora.” The only Divine to actually hold the title in the elf’s mind, Kavaa had noticed it before. It wasn’t annoying that she didn’t get it, it was simply odd that he made such an exception.
“Is there anything you don’t like about her?” Kavaa asked. Iliyal actually had to think about it for a moment.
“No.” He said. These questions were meant to prod him, and they were annoying her!
“Why?” The elf shook his head.
“What do you mean why?” He asked.
“Well why?”
“There is no why. There is nothing I do not like about her.” Iliyal said.
“So she’s perfect?” Kavaa asked.
“No one is perfect.”
“So then there must be something you don’t like about her then.” Kavaa said.
“This is a game of semantics Kavaa.” He said flatly. “You can trick the words but you can’t trick me, she’s not perfect, but there’s nothing I don’t like.”
“What about if she had elf ears?” Kavaa asked.
“I’m not petty enough to care about trite like that.” Iliyal said. Heavens above the man was stern, Heavens above the man was annoying. “Divines don’t need them anyway, you have better hearing than we do.”
“I’m not sure about that.”
“You do.” Iliyal said. “Fer does too. Inventions don’t count.”
“That we agree on.” Kavaa agreed. And finally, the bear stopped. He looked behind himself as if to check on the elf and the Goddess. They were there, the bear turned back and walked through the push. Kavaa and Iliyal quickly followed. Both through the gap the bear had made. The elf took the lead. There was a clearing here, a few tents scattered about. A few tents, large, obviously not for mortals. Logs and firewood were cut, there was a campfire. A campfire with a series of Divines sitting around it.
Olonia was there, in her scale-mail, a traditional Lubskan sabre on her side. No helmet on her head though. Snowy-white hair cascaded down her back. She was sat on a fallen log, Saksma next to her. That woman wore a chest plate, and colourful clothes underneath. A massive greatsword, easily as long as Kassandora’s Joyeuse but much thinner, was leaning next to her. Paida on the other side of Olonia. A sword next to her and in full plate. Agrita was on the other side of the campfire, in a bronze cuirass and a skirt with a spear. Aliana sat in uniform, a longbow next to her. Along with a quiver of arrows, she wore simple clothes, a skirt, tights, a shirt. It was camping gear, not armour.
Iliyal looked them over and sighed. Kavaa wanted to sigh too. She remembered when the man told her she’d know what he meant when she saw them. Well she did see them, and she knew what he meant exactly. It was obvious in the movements, the eyes dancing around Kavaa. The way they bounced timidly off the bear. Only Olonia had any sort of resistance in her, and even Olonia focused on the sword on Kavaa’s hip for too long.
“I am Iliyal Tremali.” Iliyal spoke up first. “This is Kavaa, of Health.” Kavaa smiled from besides Iliyal, the bear sat down next to them. Why were these national Goddesses looking at it as if it was going to kill them? It was only a bear at the end of the day.
Olonia stood up immediately. Arms by her side, face half shining with excitement, half trying to look stern and ready. Kavaa let her smile stay on her face. That was cute. Saksma stood up too, next to Olonia. Aliana, Paida and Agrita remained sitting as Iliyal looked through them. He walked in between as the lay down, Paida was still focused on the animal. “Is that Fer?” She asked. “We heard she’d be coming.”
“Have a fight and found out.” Iliyal said. None of them moved towards the bear. Iliyal clapped his hands. “Right ladies. I’m here to teach you combat, leadership and survival in battle. I am sure Olonia has gossiped about me, that is exactly how I am. I am not your friend right now, I am your instructor. But! I will not keep you here, anyone is free to leave when they want to, I am only a mortal after all.” He extended his arm out. “This is Kavaa. She may disappear if she’s needed elsewhere. I don’t when.” Kavaa had only been planning to stay for a few days honestly. She was already pushing her luck by coming here. “Kavaa, what are your combat powers?”
Kavaa blinked. What sort of answer did he want? She shrugged. “Nothing unique, I bless troops.”
Iliyal clapped his hands again. “You are national Divines, Kavaa is a White Pantheon member, but she’s not the strongest of fighters, as you just heard, she won’t fly off into the sky or blast you with an explosion. I expect the five of you to be able to defeat her.” He took a step back and turned around to Kavaa. The smile dropped. “Kavaa, you’re welcome to start whenever you want to.”
Aliana stood up. “Excuse me.” She spoke in that posh Allian accent. Kavaa had always found it funny. “Is that it?” Iliyal looked to Kavaa, rolled those green eyes, and turned around.
“What is it?”
“Just this?”
“Isn’t there supposed to be more?” Aliana asked.
“More of what?” Iliyal asked.
“Explanation?” Aliana asked. Iliyal shrugged.
“I trust Kavaa is skilled enough to not die to you and I know she won’t kill you.” He said. “Pretend this is a battle. Are you going to have an introduction to everyone you meet on the battlefield?” Kavaa smiled, mortals didn’t do it, but in the past Divines usually did introduce each other in the past. Then Kassandora had come along. The first year of the Great War was brutal, when her forces would break all traditions and go for the kill whilst the opponent was still talking.
“And if we get cut?” Aliana asked. Iliyal extended an arm to Kavaa. She stood there proudly, it was rare for anyone to acknowledge the fact she did actually fight. And whilst Iliyal had been a pain to talk to, he did talk to her. The way he talked to these Goddesses was anything but a conversation.
“Kavaa, what is your demesne again?” She didn’t need to answer it. Aliana’s face dropped and the Goddess scowled at the sheer mockery of the reply. Kavaa stepped forwards before Iliyal annoyed them so much the Goddesses decided to kill him.
Iliyal stepped back as Kavaa stepped forwards. “If you want to leave, leave after this lesson. Like I said, Kavaa is not a frontline Goddess. She is not Fer. She is not Maisara nor Fortia. Not Kassandora. If she defeats you, then you can assume that you are not cut out for battle, because she will go easy on you.” Kavaa didn’t know about, but these girls didn’t need to know that. “I will watch you fight, I will be able to comment and give improvements when I see what I’m working with.”
Olonia stepped forwards first as Iliyal took another step back. “Kavaa, I would prefer if you gave them a chance to strike first.”
“I will.” Kavaa said. Saksma took the greatsword in both hands. Aliana raised the bow. Agrita hefted the spear. Paida pulled unsheathed her sword. Kavaa weighed them all herself. Aliana would be annoying, archers always were and Kavaa hadn’t brought the shield. Saksma was slow with the greatsword, it was obvious from the heavy steps. Olonia with her cavalry sabre wasn’t a threat, nor was Agrita. She held the spear as if it was a pike, spears weren’t to be used like that.
Olonia quickly stepped forwards. Kavaa stepped to the side. That was the issue with sabres, they swung hard and first, but they didn’t have the agility of a straight sword. She caught Olonia’s arm and pulled her forwards. The Goddess of Lubska yelped, fell, and Kavaa’s knee hit her stomach.
And after a winding blow like that, one was out. An arrow came from Aliana. Accurate but predictable, it wasn’t an opening, it was simply a shot for the sake of a shot. Against Divines, tactics like that didn’t work. Kavaa ducked under the arrow, then rolled to the side as Agrita came in from one side, Saksma from the other.
Agrita’s spear should have had a shield with it. The woman lunged forwards, Kavaa took a step back. The spear grazed her steel plate. Kavaa’s elbow landed on the woman’s back and Agrita was down. Saksma, spinning with her blonde hair, swung her blade. Kavaa took a step back, then another one when she heard the whistle of an arrow string. An arrow shot past her. Annoying.
She unclipped her sword sheath and lazily avoided another blow of Saksma’s. Slow, even Fer’s beastmen were more dangerous than that. She saw Aliana load another arrow and almost stopped in shock. The woman was looking down at her feet, putting an arrow into her bow. Kavaa had to take step away from Saksma’s blade, threw her sheath in a spin and caught its end. She put all her force into the throw.
Aliana looked up and caught the sheath on her forehead. And another Goddess was sent tumbling back. Only Paida and Saksma left. One greatsword, one blade and armour. Kavaa took a step back as Saksma made another amateurish swing, the sword swung far to her and Kavaa closed the gap. Her chest slammed into Saksma’s, she knocked the Goddess of Doschia over with just her bulk. A kick in the side ensured Saksma would stay down.
Paida lifted her sword, her eyes blinking to her friends at Kavaa’s feet. She opened her mouth and took a step back. “I-“, Kavaa wasted no time. Her sword slammed against Paida’s. She pushed her hilt to the blade, knocked the woman’s arm away. Her foot swiped at Paida’s. And the last Goddess fell.
And Kavaa stood there as Iliyal came close, arms behind his back, he was watching the five Goddesses on the ground. Olonia was on her knees, trying to stand up, Saksma on her side, breathing heavily, Agrita and Paida both stirred and moaned. Aliana rubbed her forehead as Kavaa went to get her sheath. Her sword was put back in, and she clipped it back onto her belt.
She had no words. That was terrible. There were mortals who could provide a harder challenge. That was nothing to say of the sorcerers she had fought against back then. She saw Iliyal looking at her. “I see it now.” Kavaa said. The man sighed and nodded.
“We have a long way to go.”